As the days tick by in the controversial transit plebiscite vote, more people are speaking out in the hopes of bolstering the ‘yes’ side.
Today, SeaBus operators and bus drivers were speaking out about the urgent need for more transit in Metro Vancouver and were urging a ‘yes’ vote in the ongoing transit and transportation plebiscite.
On a daily basis, the workers on the front lines said they see pass-ups, overcrowding and lack of adequate service — especially at night — and other problems that can only be fixed with more funding.
READ MORE: Residents annoyed by robocalls urging them to vote ‘Yes’ in transit plebiscite
One SeaBus employee said at a press conference this morning that the service has not increased much and is quite similar to when it was created in 1977. Other bus drivers said the popular and student-laden UBC bus route is frequently over capacity and operators are often passing by up to 14 stops, where they can’t pick anyone up.
“That’s the worse, I hate leaving people behind in the middle of the night,” said bus driver Krista Lee Munro.
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“If you’re the very last bus, you do absolutely everything you can to cram those people on that bus. You know people aren’t comfortable, people are sitting on each other’s laps, someone’s face is in someone else’s armpit but you’re not leaving someone behind at 3 in the morning, when the next bus isn’t for 3 more hours. It’s just not fair to anyone.
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“Most of the people we’re driving at night aren’t people out partying, they’re not going to the bar, these are working people with families. They need to support their families, they don’t have cars, they’re taking transit. This is what they need to support their families.”
Full coverage of the transit plebiscite
According to a recent poll by Angus Reid, many respondents acknowledged traffic woes and wanting to know how the region’s transportation system will adapt to a growing city. But in spite of these concerns, the “yes” side’s campaign is weighed down with larger public concerns around TransLink and the potential for the proposed new tax money to be wasted.
The poll also looked across different populations and found the ‘no’ side looks to be strongest in suburban areas like Surrey, Richmond/Delta and the North Shore, and among voters over 35 years of age. But when considering residents of Vancouver, the contest is more competitive — though still leaning ‘no’ with those under 35 years of age and among the university educated.
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